Summer is finally here. This means longer days, better weather and….any day your boss will ask you if you’ve planned the summer retreat! For many, retreats conjure images of ropes courses, poolside drinks with coworkers or long days spent in windowless conference rooms. The pressure to deliver a day that is both productive and fun is often overwhelming as your colleagues freely share their personal preferences, cautionary tales and warnings about what they’re willing to do. Add to this, everyone’s vacation and flex-schedules and you’re left with meeting in the conference room on the second floor for three hours on a Friday morning in July.

Just the fact that you are investing time in your team to step back from the day-to-day has intrinsic value. We all know that the daily hectic pace allows little time for reflection and personal connection and just getting away from the office provides a great chance for relaxed conversations and building relationships with your co-workers. But an off-site retreat can also accomplish so much more.
We believe the very best retreats give teams a chance to recharge, retool, and even reset together, with opportunities to energize thinking, learn collaboratively, deepen connections, and celebrate wins. Successful retreats find the balance between structured learning and informal team bonding.

For optimal results, design a day that incorporates a shared learning experience: whether it’s cooking or solving a challenging puzzle, these experiences develop an appreciation of hidden team talent, sharpen team communication skills, and enhance team decision making. Moreover, it enables the team to return to work primed for better performance. We find that teams who are intentional in designing substantive retreats see a greater return on their investment throughout the year. Team members return armed with new tools and with a renewed energy for the challenges that lie ahead.

WorkingWonders for your team…
To learn how we can Work Wonders for your team, contact us @:
lisa@hillsassociates.com
faun@zarge.com
nanette@fridmanstrategies.com